Buttercup told in Katniss Everdeen's POV
by Caitey
Summary: Katniss narrates how Prim's cat, Buttercup, enters her life. Please review!
1. Chapter 1 Buttercup Enters My Life

Buttercup (The Hunger Games)

"Katniss! Katniss!"

I look up to see the smiling face of my sister, Primrose. Her hair is golden-blonde and her eyes are blue. Like my mother. I try to swallow down the feeling of hatred for my mother.

But I am forgiving her. Slowly. Bit by bit.

"Katniss?" Prim's voice snaps me back to reality. "Look."

Then….I saw a mass of golden fur.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Prim beamed.

"What-wha-what is…It?" I say nervously.

"I've decided to call It Buttercup."

Then I realize what it is: A cat!

"Prim. I don't need another mouth to feed."

"But-"

"It's very impractical, if you ask me."

"But-"

"No."

Prim bursts into bitter tears.

Okay, maybe I should tell you something about this cat: it's ugly, smelly, dirty, and surrounded by…fleas. I'll have a hard time getting the stains out of her cotton blouse.

My mother enters the room. "What is-?"

"Mama, can I please, please, please, keep the cat?"

"I don't think your sister needs another mouth to feed."

My mother took my side! But it does NOT mean I forgive her.

Prim turns to me. "Please?"

I sigh. "Alright," I say in a gruff voice.

Prim's mouth drops open, and she runs and hugs me. "Thank you!"

I am going to regret this.

Meanwhile, my mother surveyed the cat-I mean Buttercup-with a critical eye. "I'll give it a bath, and use some herbal medicine to get rid of the fleas," she offers.

"THANK YOU!" Prim squeals with joy.

How will I describe what happens next?

So, my mother got the gross stuff out of Buttercup.

And when Prim wasn't looking, I tried to drown it. {But don't tell her that}.

So, with Buttercup in one hand and a bucket of water in the other, I was ready.

But it did NOT work. Buttercup hit the sides of the bucket, manage to topple it over, and crawl out, unharmed.

It is obvious: I will spend the next few years of my life with this incorrigible yellow cat.


	2. Chapter 2 Buttercup is Spoiled

As if it wasn't bad enough, Prim insisted on bringing Buttercup to the dinner table.

First, I'll tell you what I brought home. Turkey and fish. The turkey was roasted, and the fish was cooked in a stew with some leftover greens from yesterday. We also had the coarse-grain bread.

"Please pass the stew bowl," Prim smiles.

"Sure," I say. Then I notice Buttercup. "Prim!" I scream in horror.

"What?" Prim asks, looking worried.

"You-you-you brought….Buttercup," I stammer.

"He's part of the family now," Prim replies.

"Oh-okay," I answer.

The next few minutes we spend in silence. Silence. Total silence. Except for Buttercup's chomping. Gosh, that appetite! When was the last time Buttercup ate, anyway?

"So, how was school?" my mother asks.

"Good," Prim replies.

I don't answer, of course.

Silence again.

Then I notice that Prim barely eats. Just a bit of turkey, and a slice of bread. And the rest she feeds to Buttercup! The fish stew was for Buttercup. Not her. And fish stew with greens is Prim's favorite food.

"You aren't eating," I gasp in disbelief.

But Prim continues to feed generous portions to Buttercup. So I said, "Prim! He's…probably full by now."

Prim looks up, surprised. "I think you're right, Katniss. Off you go, Buttercup."

Later, after dinner, I notice something.

Prim made a soft, cuddly, blankety (I think that's a word), bed for Buttercup! Aah!

Buttercup will be spoiled. Mark. My. Words.

The next day, I wake up and find Primrose feeding Buttercup some of the lumpy grainy breakfast we have.

Then she kisses Buttercup goodbye.

We march to school.

After classes, I notice that Prim is frantic about something.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing. I mean, I'm worried about Buttercup. What if something happened to him while I was gone? I'll never forgive myself then," Primrose finishes.

So she's worried about the cat. Again.

I do my homework. Then go hunting.

Dinner comes, and Prim feeds the best parts of rabbit to Buttercup.

Later, Primrose kisses Buttercup good night.

And I lay in bed, thinking: _Buttercup will become spoiled. It will hiss at me, growl at me, and bite me because it remembers the drowning incident. Maybe I should tell Prim. But it will break her heart. She'll start crying-again. But-_

My eyelids close. I fall asleep.


End file.
